Naming the Devil
by Bloodsong
Summary: Or: How Courtney met Murdock and Stark. She gave them lame nicknames. Because. Stark is pre Iron Man 2 by a few weeks. I have an artistic license, it hangs over my bed. It's framed, in gold. Rated M for language and Pro Choice options. Thrice you are warned and done.
_A/N: This plot bunny has Daredevil reflexes and Iron Man armor, I SWEAR. It also has a switchblade._

 _Cookies to anyone who gets THAT reference._

* * *

 _Daredevil and Iron Man property of Marvel and the demigod Stan Lee. All other characters are mine. Butchered movie quotes are butchered. Major thanks and Cookies go to Thorkone for the medical beta-ing! Go read her stuff. No, really. I have Strong Opinions about Agent Coulson, but she does him proud. This is rated M for profanity and sensitive topics. DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY SUCH MATERIAL!_

* * *

 _DISCLAIMER: Courtney works for Planned Parenthood. She can and does terminate first trimester pregnancies. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY SUCH MATERIAL! We all have the right to our opinions, but I will not tolerate flames, politicking or preaching in the comments. I respect polite disagreements and constructive critcisms. End of Line._

* * *

"Hey Courtney! Bed fifteen is asking for your magic hands," Connie said, dropping the chart in front of me. I sighed heavily. No good deed goes unpunished. I picked up the chart and read as I walked. Susan Mathlby, age 18, sexual assault. Vitals trending high, but stable, damage to external genitalia, defense bruising and injuries to arms and legs, vaginal swabs collected. I sighed and knocked on the door.

"Susan?" I called.

"Yes?" She sounded younger than 18. I walked in and blinked. There was a man sitting next to Susan, in business casual and trendy sunglasses. A white cane explained the glasses. Dr. Goldberg looked over from the monitors and nodded. I put the chart in the bed holder and pulled on a pair of gloves. "Hi, Susan. I'm Courtney. Can you confirm your name and date of birth for me?" I asked. She responded while I checked her bracelet. I turned to the blind man.

"Sir, could you please excuse us? I would like to speak to Susan." Susan sucked in a breath and her heart monitor caught a spike. The man smiled.

"Don't mind me. I won't see anything."

"I am aware, sir, but it is hospital policy that I speak to my patient without a guest."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Nurse. I represent Susan's family and it is believed her attack is related to that case. Besides, she's afraid." Susan flinched and looked at me. Her heart rate was increasing. Dr. Goldberg gave me a smug look and stepped back, waving me forward. I swallowed a sigh. This was going to be difficult.

"Susan," I said gently, extending my right hand to her. She stared at me for a while before taking it. I stepped closer and crouched, giving her the dominant position. "I can see how scared you are. It's okay to be scared. The ED doesn't seem very safe, does it?"

"No," Susan agreed quietly. I shifted to a kneel and put our joined hands on the gurney.

"I don't want to add to your fear, the hospital policy is very strict about these kinds of situations. Sometimes it's easier to talk without a lawyer like,"

"Matt Murdock," He broke in cheerfully.

"Mr Murdock," I acknowledged. "In the room. Does that make sense?"

"I don't want Mr. Murdock to leave," Susan said, eyes filling. I nodded and patted her hand.

"Okay, let me speak to the doctor really quick." I put her hand on the mattress and moved next to Dr. Goldberg, angling my head so my face wasn't reflected in the glass.

"Police?"

"Already been and gone. She gave them an outline, but the lawyer controlled the conversation. Why are these patients asking for you, anyway?"

"I'm very good at projecting safety and calm," I replied, swallowing my frustration. I wanted to scan Susan, see what I could do, but Dr. Goldberg is one of those MDs who sees nurses as glorified gofers there to serve him. I thought quickly.

"If I can get her to relax, we might be able to get a DNA sample."

"She's twenty-four hours too late for that."

"It worked for me last week and that woman was three days out." Dr. Goldberg looked me over contemptuously. That had been one of his patients too.

"Very well. Susan, we are going to do another swab. Courtney will observe." He went to the cabinet with the rape kits. I prepped the bed and helped Susan get in position. Then I took off my gloves and sat behind her, taking her left hand.

"I learned reflexology in nursing school," I said when everyone except Mr. Murdock looked at me. "It can be very calming." I gently massaged Susan's wrist, using the contact to look inside her. The damage from the rape was fairly standard, bruising and tearing of the vagina. I numbed the nerves first to keep her comfortable. While Dr. Goldberg dilated her, I searched the cervix, uterus and Fallopian tubes. There was a healthy pool of sperm in the left tube, I manipulated the fluid in the tubes and washed the semen out through the uterus and into the vagina. Dr. Goldberg exhaled sharply. I ignored him and turned my attention back to the uterus. There was a blastocyst embedded. I let out a slow breath and rubbed Susan's wrist a little faster. At the same time, I tapped into her endocrine system and overrode the pregnancy hormones with menstrual hormones in a flood of reprogramming.

"There we are, all done," Dr. Goldberg said briskly. I continued rubbing, "watching" until the blastocyst detached and dropped out the cervix. I patted Susan's hand.

"How are you feeling?" I asked softly. Susan looked at me, eyes a little glassy.

"I feel...cramps."

"That's normal," Dr. Goldberg said, disposing of the tools. "Courtney, give her five hundred milligrams of naproxen. I'll write the order. Also, I want you to stay here until Susan is cleared for release."

"Very well," I said. I patted Susan's hand before rising and helping her into a comfortable position. Connie came in with the medication and an industrial sanitary pad. We turned our backs while she changed.

"How soon can I leave?" She asked. I smiled and sat on the gurney.

"When your pain is managed and you feel comfortable leaving. We can arrange for a social worker to come and talk to you. There's a lot of support programs." She looked at me, looked at Connie, who winked and turned her back again, making a show of putting her hands over her ears.

"Did you...take care of it?" Susan whispered, squeezing my hand. I smiled.

"There was nothing to take care of," I whispered back. Susan burst into tears. I wrapped my arms around her, gently stroking her back. Looking over her shoulder, I saw Mr. Murdock facing us. If I didn't know better, I would say he was thoughtfully looking me over. Weird.

Susan was released two hours later. Double blood tests proved she was not pregnant, the STD tests would come in a few days. The second swabs contained clear DNA samples of her attacker, one Malcolm Jennings. I avoided Dr. Goldberg for the rest of my shift, very thankful my new job started Monday. Susan made the ninth sexual assault case in six days to ask for me specifically. I needed to get out of Midtown General.

* * *

"What in the names of left hand gods is this?" I shouted, staring at the summons. I had been called to testify at Malcolm Jennings' trial for the prosecution. The law office was Murdock and Nelson. I tracked down their office on my day off.

"Hi, sorry to barge in like this, but I need to talk to Mr. Murdock about the Jennings case," I said to the stunned blonde at the front desk.

"Um, well, he's with another client right now…"

"I'll wait." Murdock and Nelson had to be up and coming, given the Spartan lobby. I grinned at the blonde and made myself comfortable on the floor behind the door, keeping my purse on my lap.

"Can I, um, get you anything?" She asked.

"No thank you. I'm fine." I stretched out my legs and crossed my ankles, staring into space. I only had one day off from Planned Parenthood and I wasn't liking the trend. My schedule was steadily filling up with sex workers and frightened young women. I wanted to regret what started this trend, but I couldn't. Being a nurse meant helping those in need and I was uniquely equipped to help a very specific need. I stood up when the other client left and a plain but pleasant man approached me.

"Hello, Ms?"

"Courtney Incitti. Is Mr. Murdock around?"

"He's finishing up in the conference room. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, I need to speak to Mr. Murdock specifically. Thank you, though." I smiled. Mr. Nelson sighed and went into an empty office, muttering about pretty women and blind guys. I blinked at the blonde. She shrugged. I walked over to the conference room and let myself in, closing the door firmly. I also locked it.

"Hello Nurse Courtney."

"Hello Lawyer Murdock. Kindly explain this summons."

"Kindly explain how the swabs you were present for came back with Jennings' DNA and the swabs taken an hour earlier did not."

"Reflexology can do wondrous things."

"Uh huh. And how is it within an hour of your reflexology session, my patient's daughter's period started?"

"Not uncommon, given the circumstances. Trauma often triggers menstruation, miscarriage or labor."

"Twenty four hours later?"

"Delayed response," I shrugged. Mr. Murdock cocked his head.

"You're not being truthful with me." I blinked at him.

"Being blind makes you a walking lie detector?"

"It's a gift. You know about gifts, don't you Ms. Incitti? Or do you go by Saint Courtney now?"

"I have not performed three miracles."

"Haven't you?" I sighed and looked through the office window. I _knew_ he had been listening! Blind persons often developed more acute senses; hearing and scent mostly. Add that to a good lawyer's intelligence and instincts and yes, I could believe he was a walking lie detector. I had seen stranger things in nursing school. Hells, I _treated_ stranger women. I looked again. The blonde and Mr. Nelson were watching us closely. I turned my back and took a chair at the end of the table.

"Quid pro quo, Mr. Murdock," I said softly. He grinned.

"I am not a cannibal, Ms. Incitti."

"I'm still willing to make a devil's bargain with you."

"Do tell?"

"I will testify against Jennings and you will help me work out a plan to limit the amount of patients I see. My schedule is getting packed and I'm pulling 80 hour weeks. Planned Parenthood can't afford me, but I won't work anywhere else."

"What if I hear of other women who might need you outside of business hours?"

"Find the Black Mask guy and tell him to come get me. It will cost you, or him, a cup of coffee. I like medium roasts with a quarter cup hazelnut creamer per twelve ounces coffee."

"What makes you think I know who this Black Mask is?"

"Gut instinct. You know of him, you can find him. You found me."

"True." Mr. Murdock stood and extended his hand. I shook it firmly and winced. "What is it?"

"Your eyes. I almost…" I trailed off.

"You almost?" He whispered. I sighed and took my hand back.

"I almost wish I could help men. I'll set up an appointment with your secretary to write up that schedule contract. I'd like to get it done before the trial."

"Have Karen pencil you in on your next day off. We'll work out payment later."

"Aren't you cute. Don't worry, I'm good for it." I unlocked the door and asked Karen for an appointment in eight days. The trial started in two weeks.

* * *

"What is going on, Courtney?" Mary Ann, the office supervisor, asked when I asked for the trial day off. I sighed.

"I treated for the prosecution."

"Treated." Mary Ann stood, walked around me and shut the door. She stopped next to me. "Was this a 'special'?"

"She was eighteen and raped."

"I see." Mary Ann sighed. "I'm not sorry I hired you after you told me. A lot of clinics would have sent you packing as a liability."

"Which is why I'm having the prosecution write up a work contract for us, clearly defining my hours and job description. No one can afford me to burn out."

"This is true. We also need to iron out how to code for you."

"I thought I was a physical."

"That's not going to cover the frequent fliers."

"Ah." A knock on the door interrupted us. Mary Ann opened it.

"Hi, Courtney. Mr. Stark is here for you," Polly the receptionist said. I nodded and took the chart. Pseudonyms are all too common in my patients. I nodded to Mary Ann and headed to the waiting room.

"Tony?" I called. A black haired man turned and I blinked. This guy was a dead ringer for the Playboy Tin Man. He smiled and came over. "Tony Stark, yes?"

"A pleasure, Courtney. I like the scrubs, very cute."

"Date of birth?"

"May twenty-ninth, nineteen seventy. What's yours?"

"You'll be in room five, right this way."

"I bet you're a Capricorn. You look like a Capricorn." I ignored him and opened exam five. Putting his chart on the counter, I turned to tell him to strip. He already was and adding shimmies. I shrugged one shoulder and walked toward the door. He grabbed my arm. I broke the hold and yanked down his loose pants. He smiled. "Eager I see! I liiike!" His voice went up when I shoved him to the ground, my foot behind his knee. I put my foot on his throat, pressing just enough to make him cough.

"Courtney? Are you okay?" Mary Ann called through the door.

"No, he's trying to rape me!" I called back. Stark's eyes bugged out of his head. I glared at him.

"Your sorcerous ways have no affect on me, Threepio. Will you do business or do I remove the reason you wear the suit?"

"Business," He coughed. I moved back. He sat up and rubbed his throat. "You're lucky I'm into women who beat me up."

"What are you really here for, Mr. Stark?" I asked. It really was him, blue glowing chest and all. There were some odd black striations radiating out from the blue glow, but it was nothing I could affect.

"I need a physical.

"Bullshit. Try again."

"I'm looking for a miracle worker." He kicked off his pants, leaving just a pair of snug briefs. I shook my head.

"Lame."

"It's the truth," He growled. I shrugged.

"The Gold Plated Billionaire Genius would already know all about me, therefore he would know there's _no point_ in asking me for a miracle."

"Martin, nursing school." I rolled my eyes.

"FTM, pre surgery. Does not count. I don't play with the Y chromosome, Mr. Stark."

"Do you play with bombs?" I blinked.

"Not if I can avoid it."

"Because you're on a dozen Life lists as a demon, two of which are hostile, and I'm getting tabloid reports on the West Coast. It's only a matter of time before SHIELD gets involved. Come work for me. I can protect you."

"What can you do that Xavier can't?"

"Xavier? Who's Xavier?"

"There you go. You want to help me, Mr. Stark? Make a yearly sixty thousand donation to this clinic, effective immediately." He cocked his head, looking puzzled. The ridiculousness of the situation had reached my red line. I wanted him gone.

"Why only sixty thousand?"

"That's my salary."

"Courtney, you are worth ten times that amount."

"Then put this clinic on the Stark Security network. Something subtle but effective and non lethal."

"Why non lethal?"

"Because I won't stoop to their level." I looked into his eyes. "Or SHIELD's." I turned my back and wrote the contract appointment information on a nuvaring notepad. Tearing it off, I turned back and handed it to him. He had put his pants back on. "I'm meeting my lawyer to arrange a work contract. See you there." I picked up his file and opened the door.

"Why should I?" He asked.

"Why do you do anything, Mr. Stark?" I walked out and shut the door.

* * *

I was a little surprised Mr. Stark walked into Murdock's office, given he was thirty minutes late and we were almost done with the contract. I half expected not to see him. Unsurprisingly, he and Mr. Murdock were at loggerheads in short order.

"What do you think you can offer my client?"

"A salary equal to her talents and a private office where she can work safely."

"And be subjected to constant sexual harassment. Given the nature of my client's patients, such an environment would bring more harm."

"She wouldn't be working in Stark Tower, that's ridiculous. She would be part of my medical staff at Midtown General or any other hospital she wanted to be at."

" _She,_ " I interrupted, already annoyed. "Has already stated there will be no moving." Mr. Stark looked at me with a degree of contempt. Mr. Murdock smirked.

"Even at the risk of your own life?"

"Don't see much from thirty thousand feet, do you?" I snarked. Mr. Stark frowned. "This is Hell's Kitchen, Tin Man. Everyone's life is at risk, every day. I'm not afraid."

"You should be," They chorused and glared. Well, Mr. Stark glared. I shrugged.

"I'm Italian. E un gran pacier la morte."

"'Death is the great peacemaker?'" Mr. Stark stared at me. I signed the contract and took my copy to give to Mary Ann.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Murdock. What do I owe you?"

"Karen will have that." I stood. Mr. Murdock rose with me, Mr. Stark continued to stare. I could almost see the biochemical computer chattering away. Mr. Murdock extended his hand and I shook it firmly.

"You are serious. You're not afraid," Mr. Stark said. I looked at him pityingly.

"You sipped from a bitter cup. I drain it dry every week, as do the women I serve. Welcome to the real world, Tin Man. Thank you, Mr. Murdock." I walked out with my head high and cut the check for the contract.

"It's not tin! It's a proprietary alloy!" Mr. Stark yelled behind me. I held up three fingers and waved them. "Do you think she likes me? I think she likes me. She must like me a lot to blow me off like that."

* * *

The rap at my bedroom window should have frightened me. However, it was just after midnight and I was suffering insomnia. I got up and opened the curtains. Crouched on the fire escape was a man, all in black including a Zorro type mask without eyeholes. I blinked and opened the window.

"Olly olly oxen free," I said. He smiled and handed me a styrofoam cup full of coffee. I sipped. Just the way I liked it. I drank half and put the cup on my nightstand.

"I take it you have something for me."

"There's a woman two blocks away. I beat off her attacker, but she's unconscious and bleeding."

"So you came to get me instead of helping her."

"EMTs have been called, busy night. She's in rough shape, we need to hurry."

"All right." _I must be insane._ I grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on, stuffed my feet into my sneakers and went back to the window. "What's the address?"

"Get on, it'll be faster." He turned his back. I stared at him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. You weigh about 135, I can carry you safely. The area's clear."

"Okay then." _Definitely insane_. I climbed out the window and onto Mask's back, wrapping arms and legs securely around his torso. He adjusted my legs so they rode right on his hips.

"You have to hold on, I need my hands free."

"If I fall off and die, it is no reflection on you," I said. I snuggled as close as I could, pressing my face into his hair. He jumped in place a few times, nodded. That tickled and gave me a hell of a shock when my nose rubbed against his scalp. I yelped, but chose to blame it on his sudden launch into the air. We climbed up the fire escape via the balconies and ran along the roofs before taking another fire escape down the fast and parkour way. I was panting and gritting my teeth against the screams when we landed. Matt the Mask crouched and helped me pry my fingers out of his shirt.

"You and I are having _words_!" I hissed before hurrying to my patient. She looked to be college age, a dyed redhead, in party clothes. The skirt was twisted above her waist and the shirt looked like it was slashed. I knelt and laid my fingertips against her cheek

"By the Fifth Hell!" I hissed again, carefully rolling her onto her back. She didn't stir. Now I could see the knife wounds and swallowed a scream of frustration. She was bleeding out.

"Shit! Her heart rate's dropping fast."

"I can't fix all of this," I said, taking off my night shirt and pressing it into the long cuts down her front. They were shallow, but not clotted. I adjusted the pressure so I could get skin contact and named a few left hand gods. The bastard had used the knife down there too. This was where she was bleeding out. I dived deep into her pelvis, tracing the outlines of the cuts. Whoever did this was seriously sadistic. I boosted the cell regeneration as high as I could, closing the cuts. It took a while and I was sweating when the last one closed. I did a brief sweep and found the chest cuts had stopped bleeding with the pressure.

"Thank the gods for small miracles," I muttered and went looking for semen. There wasn't any, which meant condom or the attacker had specific tastes. I scanned the rest of her repro system, there were several cysts on both ovaries. I didn't dare do anything about those. Her heart rate was still sluggish, but at least she wasn't losing blood now. I brought myself back just in time for the paramedics to haul me off of her. I panicked and twisted, managing to break one hold and slugged the other EMT in the nose.

"Shit! Courtney, what the hell?" A familiar voice said. I spun and blinked as Jason ran past me to his teammate.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't realize…" I stammered, looking around. Matt the Mask was nowhere. The EMTs got the patient on a gurney with a saline IV, calling Midtown as they rushed her into the back.

"She's O positive!" I called after them. Jason stormed by, guiding the injured EMT to the wagon. He hopped in after the patient and Jason got in the driver's seat.

"We'll let you know if we need you!" He called before pulling away. I shivered, crossing my arms over my bare chest.

"No thanks, I'll just walk home half naked and either get jumped or arrested for indecent exposure. Don't bother loaning me a blanket or ask me any questions. It's all good. By the Fifth Hell."

"You're creative in your swearing," Matt said behind me. I spun and was rewarded with a faceful of black shirt. I tugged it on and looked the blind lawyer-cum-masked vigilante over. He was getting seriously beat up.

"Now I really wish my power worked on men," I said and smirked when he flinched. I gasped when he pinned me against the alley wall. Damn, he's fast!

"How?" He snarled. I sighed and went limp.

"We touched, skin to skin. When that happens, I get a general impression and any major red flags, medical-wise. But I can't manipulate the whole body and especially not men. Only the girly bits. As superpowers go, it's pretty lame, but it makes me an excellent source of birth control." Matt released me and rubbed his jaw.

"This is a problem."

"No it's not. I can keep a secret."

"You haven't kept yours a secret." I shrugged and started walking up the alley, away from the street. Matt the Mask got in front of me and crouched. I hopped on his back and managed not to squeal while he got us back to my building. We landed on the roof and I let go. He turned to me.

"You're in danger now."

"Gods above and below, Daredevil, you think knowing your little secret is dangerous? I was serious with Tin Man! I'm an undercover abortion provider posing as a GYNE RN! Never mind that I can cure certain STDs, various cancers and prevent surgeries, all the extremists care about is I kill babies! I'm _already_ in danger! What's one more level? I really don't care about that." I walked over and poked him in the chest. "What I care about is the women of this city, especially the high risk, the poor and the vulnerable. We saved a life tonight, you and I. That poor woman was raped with a _knife_. She would have died from the internal bleeding if you hadn't fetched me." Daredevil, _wow, that's up there with Tin Man for stupid nicknames_ , snarled and clenched his fists.

"I should have gotten there sooner!"

"Where were you?"

"Punishing gangsters."

"Then don't beat yourself up with the should-haves. Word is you're the only one standing up to the organized crime in the Kitchen. She'll live and she might still be able to have children. I can't do anything about the psych side and neither can you." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Thanks."

"For what?" He looked confused. I shook my head.

"Thank you for finding me. Keep the coffee coming and I'll patch up what victims I can."

"Sure you can't do more?" He asked. I shrugged.

"It's a really lame superpower."

"I think it's cool."

"Liar." I chuckled and yanked open the roof access door. "See you in court, Daredevil."

"See you, Angel." I laughed and went home.

* * *

The day of the trial, I showed up in a new suit, courtesy of Mr. Stark setting up an donation of seventy-five thousand a year, tied directly to my work contract. I was switched from hourly to salaried and my schedule hit the work maximums within three days. Mary Ann was ecstatic when the new security system was installed. I was just glad Tin Man didn't come back. On the stand I used plain English to explain Susan's condition and confirmed the DNA evidence. The defense lawyer was rude.

"Is it not true, Ms. Incitti, that you are not human?"

"No, it's not true." I gave him an incredulous look before looking at the jury and shrugging eloquently.

"You have a gift beyond the ordinary, do you not?"

"Please define your terms, sir."

"You have a healing touch."

"Being able to soothe and comfort patients renders me inhuman? You just described half the staff I worked with in Midtown's Emerge! Should I have my fellow nurses checked for third nipples or eyes in the back of their heads?" I asked, dumbfounded. A few in the jury tittered. Most of the audience outright snickered. The defense lawyer scowled.

"This is not funny!"

"Your Honor, I fail to see how this line of questioning pertains to the case," Murdock said, rising.

"Agreed. Make your point, Mr. Lorson."

"My point, Your Honor, is that Ms. Incitti has a power beyond the caveat of good nursing. She can manipulate a woman's reproductive system, make an abortion look like a miscarriage. This puts her outside of regular humans and into the world of mutants. And as we all know, mutants are dangerous." My mouth fell open. Seriously? _SERIOUSLY_?!

"Mutants are still people, Your Honor," Murdock chimed in. "There is nothing in New York law that negates Ms. Incitti's testimony or her experience as a RN."

"Do you have any other questions, Mr Lorson?" The judge asked, clearly annoyed. Mr. Lorson looked at me. I gave him my best blank stare and he turned away.

"No further questions, Your Honor."

"You are dismissed, Ms. Incitti." I nodded, stood and left the stand with my head high.

A few people gave me dirty looks as I left.

A day later, Malcom Jennings was convicted and given the maximum sentence. I saw patients all day long, bought a few groceries to make dinner and ate in front of the television. When I went to get ready for bed, there was a pink chrysanthemum on my windowsill. I smiled and put a single serve thermos full of my homemade hot chocolate on the fire escape. In the morning it was gone. I took the chrysanthemum to work.


End file.
